The present invention generally relates to an inserter tool useful in processing of raw meat, especially during the early stages of slaughtering operations. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool and method for inserting a quantity of granular solid coolant or solid carbon dioxide into a pocket area of a carcass in order to reduce the temperature of this carcass area from the inside and outwardly toward its external surface to thereby substantially reduce the development of pale, soft and exudative conditions within the meat of the carcass. The tool includes a spear blade to access the pocket area and an assembly which automatically moves the granular solid coolant into the pocket area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,615, incorporated by reference hereinto, describes reducing the development of pale, soft and exudative muscle in pork and the like by chilling the carcass area to be treated from the inside out. By this approach, a thick portion of a carcass, such as the ham portion of a hog carcass, is slit such that an incision is made in order to form a pocket area in the carcass. A quantity of solid carbon dioxide or dry ice is then inserted into the pocket, and the pocket is allowed to close. The solid carbon dioxide sublimes, at which time the temperature throughout the ham portion is thus reduced to levels at which pale, soft and exudative (PSE) muscle development is significantly controlled.
That patent describes slitting so as to open or form the pocket and then inserting dry ice into the thus formed pocket. No particular mechanism or specific tool for achieving these functions is disclosed. It will be appreciated that hand slitting or manual slashing of these insertion pockets with a knife on a repetitive basis is tedious and can require the skill of an artisan, which can be a requirement that is difficult to fill in the context of a high-volume meat processing facility. In addition, manual slashing operations are susceptible to inadvertent variations in slash location and/or length; for example, often the slashes inadvertently do not coincide with at least a portion of the seam between muscles causing portions of these muscles to be severed and thus wasted, which adds an objectionable amount of cost to the product. Furthermore, height, depth, length, angle and shape of the carcass pocket are each dependent on the slashing stroke executed by the person opening each pocket, which leads to a wide variation in pocket geometry. This causes variations in the PSE reduction process, which is a process that is to be reasonably well-controlled in order to maintain consistent PSE reduction from carcass to carcass. Often, manually opened pockets are excessively large and expose large surfaces of meat unprotected by a membrane, resulting in leaching of nutrients, such as during water spraying in the cooler, as well as incomplete drainage of the sprayed water from the carcass. However, unless the pockets are slashed so as to be excessively large, manual insertion of the solid carbon dioxide material is more difficult and can be accompanied by a certain risk of hand injury.
Even when the pockets are uniformly cut, and putting aside the difficulties of manual insertion of the solid carbon dioxide materials, it is very difficult to achieve uniform insertion of the solid coolant or dry ice materials. The positioning may vary from carcass pocket to carcass pocket, for example, dry ice bar insertions can be at different respective angles and even different insertion depths. These variables can also lead to further variations in the extent and effectiveness of PSE reduction. In addition, when the source of solid carbon dioxide is in the form of dry ice bars, typically it has been found to be necessary to cut a bevel on the leading end of the bar so as to facilitate its insertion into the slashed carcass pocket and lessen the risk of hand injuries.
Accordingly, there has developed a need for an approach which eliminates or significantly reduces these deficiencies. Especially important is an approach which will increase consistency in opening of the pocket and in accurately positioning the solid coolant and which will enhance the safety aspects of the PSE reduction procedure.
In summary, the present invention is a tool and method for inserting granular solid coolant material such as solid carbon dioxide or dry ice into a muscle area of an animal carcass or portion of an animal carcass. The insertion tool slits a proper sized opening and then quickly and positively places the coolant material into a carcass pocket that is thus accessed. Included is a spear blade at the leading end of the tool. A chamber for receiving and holding the coolant material is positioned behind the spear blade. When the spear blade is inserted into the muscle area, it forms a slit of the proper size, and an actuator on the tool is activated as a result of the spearing process. The actuator causes a ram arrangement or the like to close off the chamber and then to move the granular solid coolant material out of the chamber in order to deposit the coolant material generally along the spear blade and into the proper position within the carcass cavity.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide a tool and method for inserting temperature-lowering material into a meat body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for piercing an animal carcass or the like and for inserting granular solid "frozen" material into a pocket accessed or formed during the piercing operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hand-held tool which, after thrusting action by the operator, forms a slit in a carcass wall and automatically and substantially immediately inserts solid coolant material through the slit opening and into the carcass.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved PSE treatment wherein the pocket is pierced to the same size and the same depth during each operation and from carcass to carcass.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved insertion tool which forms a slit in a carcass wall that is consistently and uniformly sized to receive and pass therethrough solid dry ice granules, the opening being neither excessively large so as to negatively impact on the meat nor too small so as to make insertion difficult and raise possible safety concerns.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved insertion tool which facilitates piercing through the approximate center of the muscle of the carcass so as to eliminate the need to coincide substantially fully with the seam between the muscles, yet avoiding severance of portions of the muscles, such as in the form of ribbons of muscle which represents waste, thereby avoiding an increase in the cost of the product.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an insertion approach in conjunction with a process for reducing PSE in meats, which insertion approach can be carried out by operators without requiring artisan skills and while improving the consistency of the operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved insertion tool and method which accesses carcass pockets through a uniform piercing procedure and which inserts solid frozen material into the carcass in a manner that is uniform in depth, position, angle and timing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an insertion means that forms a pocket in a carcass which is substantially uniform in height, depth, length, shape and pocket geometry in general.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved insertion tool and method which exhibit enhanced safety attributes.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tool for inserting solid granular dry ice into a carcass which facilitates insertion of accurate and readily adjustable weights of dry ice and reduces cost when compared with dry ice bars.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for inserting solid frozen materials including solid carbon dioxide in the form of solid granules, pellets, rice, as well as other solid granular materials, which will rapidly lower the temperature of the carcass from the inside out for treating muscles including hams, pork loins, turkey breasts, beef muscles and the like.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the work in loading multiple charges of dry ice when compared with loading multiple dry ice bars.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following description.